Lionel Messi × Apple
MLS Season Pass revenue share + docuseries. Estimated at ~$50M (variable) per year in the broadcasting / media category.
Last updated 30 July 2026 · Sourced public estimates
Deal details
- Brand
- Apple
- Category
- Broadcasting / Media
- Structure
- MLS Season Pass revenue share + docuseries
- Estimated value
- ~$50M (variable)SourceThe Guardian / WSJHigh
Apple signed its 10-year, global MLS broadcast deal in 2022, carrying every match worldwide through MLS Season Pass. When Messi chose Inter Miami a year later, his package was engineered around that platform: instead of a flat endorsement fee, he receives a share of revenue from new Season Pass subscriptions — a figure industry reporting (The Guardian, WSJ) has placed around $50 million a year at its peak, plus an Apple TV documentary series.
The structure is the story. A revenue share means Messi is effectively a commercial partner in MLS's streaming growth, not a spokesman — his pay scales with the subscribers he attracts. It's the same logic as his Adidas MLS merchandise clause, and it's why Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas describes Messi's all-in club economics as $70–80M a year despite a $25M base salary.
One material caveat: for the 2026 season Apple folded MLS coverage into the standard Apple TV subscription, eliminating the standalone Season Pass fee. How that affects a deal keyed to Season Pass sign-ups is undisclosed, so we treat the ~$50M figure as variable and historical rather than a guaranteed run-rate.